Mcdonaldization: Health In A Fastfood Society Essay -- essays research

McDonaldization Health in A Fastfood SocietyMcDonaldization, is the term Ritzer derived from the McDonalds fastfood filament to describe the state of our society. Ritzer claims our social bases have be come about completely dehumanized in the form of a bureaucracy.Health c ar is an example of one(a) institution that is characterized by the fourcomponents of bureaucracy efficiency, predictability, control andquantification.In the past, health c are was more simplistic in nature. House callswere no unheard of, and doctors knew all of their patients and their families ona personal level. The doctor who delivered your parents would deliver you aswell as your future children. Follow-ups were quite normal doctors wereconcerned with your progress for their own peace of mind. e actuallywhere time the modern health care system emerged into the bureaucraticorganization that it is. All the characteristics depicted by Ritzer are easilyseen when one examines health care. From a normal trip to the doctor for aroutine check-up or even a specific ailment to rush trip in the emergency mannerpredictability, control, efficiency, and quantification are obvious.Quantification is easily seen when you first step into a hospitalwaiting room and a huge sign tells you a number before you are even able tospeak to anyone. After waiting a while your number is called, you must giveyour health card number to the receptionist before continuing. You are thengiven a file number, which is your only identity for the time you spend withinthe hospital environment. After seeing the doctor you may come out with a fewprescriptions which furthers your nameless ordeal. When you drop namelessordeal. When you drop into a pharmacy to have a prescription filled the first liaison they ask is if you know your prescription number. If you cannot rememberit, your actual name is a secondary possibility as a means of identification.Before paying you may have to show your Blue Cross card number or otherinsura nce cards as well, in all it is a very dehumanizing, neutral process.Efficiency is another characteristic that is prominent in the hospitalsituation. To affect sure things more smoothly you must call ahead and make anappointment with the reception... ...ike health care workers has come in the face of ademand for efficiency and quantification. It is hard to say who is victimizedmost by this dehumanisation the doctors who must deny their humanity or theirpatients who must go to them for treatment.In conclusion when one applies the four components of McDonaldization toour present health care system one discovers that they are aptly applicable.Quantification is seen when one thinks about how our medical identity iscomprised of a series of different numbers. Efficiency is supposed to occurwith phone-in prescriptions and appointments. Control is assured by a doctorscapacity to make life or death decisions. As for predictability it is commonknowledge as to what routine one follows to re ceive treatment. Theirrationality is how impersonal and inefficient the whole system can becomethrough overworked doctors and other professionals. The iron cage is how thepatients of these stressed doctors feel from these doctors ignorance andneglect. In all it is true that the health care system is one socialinstitution that does successfully meet all of Ritzers requirements for aMcDonaldized institution.